Abstract
Soil lead (Pb) pollution is wide spread in China. The Chinese government is taking ambitious actions to tackle the soil pollution issue, with the latest soil quality standards and the Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation Law enacted in 2018. This study assesses the spatio-temporal distribution, pollution levels, major sources and health risks of Pb in surface soils in China in the past three decades (1990–2017). Traffic emissions (mainly leaded gasoline), mining, smelting, and e-waste recycling were main contributors to soil Pb pollution and pose a risk to food security and human health. The weighted arithmetic mean of Pb concentrations was 35.9 ± 0.21 mg/kg. Southern China suffered from severer soil Pb pollution with hotspots of the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, Shaanxi and Hunan. The average soil Pb concentration increased marginally during 1990–2001 due to increased industrial and transportation activities; afterwards, it decreased by ∼30% during 2001–2013, reflecting the effectiveness of the ban on leaded gasoline in 2000. However, there was a slight increase in recent years. Therefore, it is critical to establish a comprehensive evaluation and monitoring system, strengthen pollution source control, properly manage the environmental and health risks at severely contaminated sites, and conduct green and sustainable remediation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2019 Jan 1 |
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Keywords
- Pb
- potentially toxic elements
- Soil pollution
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Engineering
- Water Science and Technology
- Waste Management and Disposal
- Pollution
Cite this
Lead contamination in Chinese surface soils : Source identification, spatial-temporal distribution and associated health risks. / Zhang, Yunhui; Hou, Deyi; O’Connor, David; Shen, Zhengtao; Shi, Peili; Ok, Yong Sik; Tsang, Daniel C.W.; Wen, Yang; Luo, Mina.
In: Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 01.01.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Lead contamination in Chinese surface soils
T2 - Source identification, spatial-temporal distribution and associated health risks
AU - Zhang, Yunhui
AU - Hou, Deyi
AU - O’Connor, David
AU - Shen, Zhengtao
AU - Shi, Peili
AU - Ok, Yong Sik
AU - Tsang, Daniel C.W.
AU - Wen, Yang
AU - Luo, Mina
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - Soil lead (Pb) pollution is wide spread in China. The Chinese government is taking ambitious actions to tackle the soil pollution issue, with the latest soil quality standards and the Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation Law enacted in 2018. This study assesses the spatio-temporal distribution, pollution levels, major sources and health risks of Pb in surface soils in China in the past three decades (1990–2017). Traffic emissions (mainly leaded gasoline), mining, smelting, and e-waste recycling were main contributors to soil Pb pollution and pose a risk to food security and human health. The weighted arithmetic mean of Pb concentrations was 35.9 ± 0.21 mg/kg. Southern China suffered from severer soil Pb pollution with hotspots of the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, Shaanxi and Hunan. The average soil Pb concentration increased marginally during 1990–2001 due to increased industrial and transportation activities; afterwards, it decreased by ∼30% during 2001–2013, reflecting the effectiveness of the ban on leaded gasoline in 2000. However, there was a slight increase in recent years. Therefore, it is critical to establish a comprehensive evaluation and monitoring system, strengthen pollution source control, properly manage the environmental and health risks at severely contaminated sites, and conduct green and sustainable remediation.
AB - Soil lead (Pb) pollution is wide spread in China. The Chinese government is taking ambitious actions to tackle the soil pollution issue, with the latest soil quality standards and the Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation Law enacted in 2018. This study assesses the spatio-temporal distribution, pollution levels, major sources and health risks of Pb in surface soils in China in the past three decades (1990–2017). Traffic emissions (mainly leaded gasoline), mining, smelting, and e-waste recycling were main contributors to soil Pb pollution and pose a risk to food security and human health. The weighted arithmetic mean of Pb concentrations was 35.9 ± 0.21 mg/kg. Southern China suffered from severer soil Pb pollution with hotspots of the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, Shaanxi and Hunan. The average soil Pb concentration increased marginally during 1990–2001 due to increased industrial and transportation activities; afterwards, it decreased by ∼30% during 2001–2013, reflecting the effectiveness of the ban on leaded gasoline in 2000. However, there was a slight increase in recent years. Therefore, it is critical to establish a comprehensive evaluation and monitoring system, strengthen pollution source control, properly manage the environmental and health risks at severely contaminated sites, and conduct green and sustainable remediation.
KW - Pb
KW - potentially toxic elements
KW - Soil pollution
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85060864217&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85060864217&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10643389.2019.1571354
DO - 10.1080/10643389.2019.1571354
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85060864217
JO - Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology
JF - Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology
SN - 1064-3389
ER -